Jessi making waffles!

Caleb woke up before I did at 6:30 to start making waffles. He went to get Robert while Jessi and I finished cooking them at 7:30. Jessi wasn’t sure of the cooking time or of their filling ability, but she became a believer today. We each had one, Jessi went to work, and then we started getting the girls ready for the farmer’s market. Both girls got to wear pink things in their hair and a necklace. They gave me a headband too, but I didn’t want it falling off because of my sunglasses – and they do take priority.

Gamelan Manik Harum

We walked the two blocks to the bus stop and the farmer’s market bus was not running today so we caught a ride downtown on the city bus for free. Robert had his bag ready for plants and veggies and wondered why Jake stopped to teach the girls about Gamelan Manik Harum – a local chapter that plays Balinese angklung music using bronze metallophone instruments to form a percussion orchestra. I only wish we could’ve heard them play. Maybe next time, or if I ever make it to Bali!

surfer in the Clark-Fork River

We walked through the market – past carrots, soaps, flowers, and tomato plants – to the large bronze fish on the other side of the park so the girls could ride his back to faraway places. They even talked Jake into joining them – regardless of the stares from kids and adults from other fish, the surrounding rocks, and picnic tables nearby. While they did that, I went up the sidewalk to see a surfer on a wave in the river caused by a large obstacle spanning the width of the riverbed. It’s a good spot for practicing how to ride as this wave doesn’t go anywhere – a constant trough and crest.

park, market, and downtown Missoula

Lots of bikes tied to trees and poles or being walked through the market while the owners ate savoury meats and big sweet treats (like the cinnamon roll that I saw – and that Caleb scared the lady when asking her where she got it), and signed local entreaties. I stopped by the mobile library and its Web on Wheels to see what they had on offer – lots of great books for children, and especially people who live here as most libraries prefer quick returns and not waiting on the mail to arrive from Bahrain.

cup o’ creepy

We continued to walk past oven baked pizzas, jams and vinegars, face painting, and lilac wine, but it was the pastries that caught the girls attention. They got a pink one to share and then Jake took them to look for a more healthful lunch option. For $20, Robert was able to buy the pastry, rhubarb for tonight’s pie, and some veggies to eat and grow. I found a small bowl of free candy and grabbed a blue raspberry dum-dum – my favorite as a kid when I would go to the bank with Mom.

yellow and/or delicious for $1.00

We found Robert a spot in the shade while we waited for the girls to return from their short trek in the forest – a small trail in the park. Jake bought a breakfast burrito sans tortilla to share and we ate while the girls jumped from rock to rock and fought over who would sit on the front of the fish and who would have to sit behind the fin. Had it been me, the argument would’ve been over quickly. I touched the fish and he’d picked up some heat in the hour that we’d been there, but the girls didn’t seem to mind – and neither did the other kids, some just learning to walk, that came into a hazard zone near other kids jumping and kicking and falling about.

face painting a sad princess

Too much fun was being had and it was time to go. We rode the bus back, passing another market that looked full of amazing things, and then dropped Robert off at home for medications and a nap. We got ‘home’ to some happy and playful dogs. Caleb chased Sparky around the backyard while Piggy rolled in the grass. Then Caleb treated himself to a stuffed jalapeño wrapped in bacon (leftovers from last night’s date) before going to the store for dinner ingredients for us and the dogs. We picked up Brie, two loaves of bread, strawberries, an onion, etc. at The Good Food Store; then went to Pattee Creek Market for chips and dog food.

dum-dum dye on my tongue – by Caleb

Jessi picked up Robert on her way home from a half-day at work. We arrived in time for Jake’s guacamole and Jessi decided to go for a run. Piggy found part of a carrot and ate that while we devoured a large bowl of avocado and a bag of Cajun chips. Lyra was having a snotty moment while making animal sounds with her See N Say toy and when she left the chair to find Sammi I sat down and coloured a Hello Kitty picture with markers included in the little pad kit.

the girls on a fish, and Jake

At 2:30 the girls decided it was time for fun and sun and water hose. An hour of this would leave the youngest passed out in the comfy chair for two hours while the eldest sat on the couch and watched “How to Train Your Dragon” for the 40th time. This would work out perfectly as Colleen, Jessi’s friend from work and her husband, Stephen, came over two seconds before Jessi returned from her run. She found free starter tomato plants and Caleb and Robert went to pick some up.

Caleb eating a jalapeño popper wrapped in bacon

The couple had stopped by just to drop off some finds from their latest travels south, including the Grand Circle in Utah, and were going to do laundry, but sat with us for an hour of conversation, swapping beers, chips (we started out with three bags), guacamole (Jake had saved a bowl for Jessi), and a chocolate bar that Jake had bought earlier and Jessi found. During this time Jake had a pie in the oven – strawberry rhubarb – with two planes cut into the crust – one for Caleb and I, and the other one for the dogs. Jake is sweet and creative.

Lyra being sour, but still sweet

The cute, nice, and funny couple left with a slice of pie each (after Jake snuck it into their panniers) and rode their bikes into the sunset… well, it wasn’t that dark yet, but it sounds romantic. Jessi took Robert home so he could rest and took her friend some tomato plants. We all had homemade warm brie salad – mixed greens and grilled veggies with basil and brie on top, leftover Italian spaghetti, and two loaves of parmesan-garlic bread (because we thought Robert would be joining us).

Lyra drooling

We started talking about movies and decided on Life of Pi. Jake dished out dessert and we settled in for a long show. We were half way through when Lyra was messing with the remote and set us back to the beginning – nothing a minute or two of fast forwarding wouldn’t fix. And I hadn’t thought of the animal eating scenes (since I’d already seen the movie) when asked if it was ok for young children. They made it through, as most is edited out, and Jessi used it as a learning experience.

Jake’s girls watching Life of Pi

Sammi had two cups of mandarin oranges and might’ve had more if Jessi hadn’t put a limit on them. Alone they can be healthy, but I don’t know how much the syrup offsets that factor. The girls sit all over the place in weird positions – on daddy’s lap, behind mommy on the back of the chair, and on the floor. Jessi gets a bit of knitting done. I know it helps me with movie guilt if I can feel accomplished at the end. The girls brushed their teeth and getting them into bed after 10:30 was no problem. We are all tired.